M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

an old juke joint in Bentonia, MS, where once upon a time one might have found Skip James singing and playing the blues.

It is my supreme pleasure and with a big ole’ heart that I bring you some of my favorite photos (in no particular order) from my recent Mississippi road trip. There's a lot of them, but I'm certain you will enjoy a peak at this beautiful region filled with open (much akin to my own personality) and hospitable folks, a land where you can feel the ghosts, where tupelo and cypress trees grow in swampy waters, where moss drapes the trees, where the big red sun hangs over cotton fields, the land where the blues began, and the land where I got married! That's right - we had a shotgun/surprise wedding (me being the one surprised) in Clarksdale, Mississippi,on the 4th of July. But I'll need to elaborate on the wedding and how awesome Clarksdale is in another post. Hope ya'll are even half as happy as I am!

My bestie, Desiree, leaping in Clarksdale, MS.

tupelo trees, along the Natchez Trace.

more Tupelo trees

Port Gibson, MS.

Skip James blues marker, Bentonia, MS.

graveyard in Holly Ridge, MS.

The Rev. John Wilkins and his daughters performing at the Mississippi Hills Blues Picnic, Holly Springs, MS. They were so good; I danced their whole set.

Rocky Springs, MS.

Canton, MS, where O Brother Where Art Thou was filmed. The old buildings are breathtaking, but it's a shame that most of the businesses are out of commission.

Canton, MS.

Natchez, MS.

Abe's BBQ, Clarksdale, MS. We ate red tamales, pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, coleslaw, and it was all Dynomite!

Clarksdale, MS.

Bentonia, MS.

Clarksdale, MS.

Mikey and Desi

inside the Rock and Blues Museum (amazing!), Clarksdale, MS.

Clarksdale, MS.

Mississippi treasures: Rev John Wilkins cd, William Faulkner's 50s edition of "Mosquitos", Leadbelly portrait.

crepe myrtle trees covered in moss. Natchez, MS.

Natchez, MS.

Stax Records, Memphis, TN. There are some Memphis photos in the bunch too, as this is where our trip started. We loved Memphis too, though we'd both been there before to visit Graceland.

Club Ebony, a juke joined now owned by B.B. King. Indianolo, MS. Can you believe it - we ended up catching  B.B. King perform at  his yearly homecoming festival in Indianolo. He's definitely getting older, but man, he was so happy on the stage, like a big beatific buddha. The whole town came out to see him. He had the kids come on the stage for a dance contest.

Mikey and Desi, groom's gal and bride's maid respectively. Clarksdale, MS.

Shack Up Inn, Clarksdale, MS.

Elvis' boyhood church. Tupelo, MS.

 

Johnnie's Drive-In BBQ, where Elvis used to eat cheeseburgers. Tupelo, MS.

Memphis, TN.

Memphis, TN. The Arcade Restaurant in the oldest diner in Memphis. The film "Mystery Train" was filmed here.

Memphis, TN

Big oak tree, a common sight, Natchez, MS.

Huge porches, another common sight, Natchez, MS.

Camera from Pete's stepdad, so I guess my step dad in law, dress from my girlfriend Miro. Natchez, MS.

Natchez, MS - oldest settlement in the Mississippi. We stayed in a huge home from the 1840s (not pictured here) and we were the only guests.I don't know how we get so lucky.

Natchez, MS.

Natchez, MS.

Windsor Ruins, Port Gibson, MS.

Rowan Oak, Oxford, MS. home of the wonderful William Faulkner. I'm on my 5th book by him, so it was a delight to visit Rowan Oak. My favorite books so far have been "As I Lay Dying" and "A Light in August."

If any of my readers have any questions, I'm always happy to answer in the comments. Many more posts on my Mississippi road trip in the near future.

xoxo!